Property Solicitor

Oldham Council; Oldham; Hybrid; GBP 57,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

LGPS pension scheme

Discounted gym membership

Staff discount scheme

Cycle to Work

Wellbeing support

Job summary

Oldham Council is looking for a Property Solicitor to join the Land & Property team. You will provide specialist legal advice on land and property matters and handle transactions from inception to completion for the Council.

Qualified solicitors or barristers with post-qualification experience in land/property law will advise officers and elected Members, draft property documents, and ensure compliance with governance and contractual requirements.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or barrister with appropriate practising certificates.
• Post-qualification experience in land/property law.
• Experience with trusts, company law, and charity law in a property context.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive legal advice and services on land and property matters for the Council.
• Draft property-related documents including contracts, transfers, leases, licences, charges and reports.
• Undertake specialist/complex legal work and advise officers and Members with minimal supervision.
• Ensure land/property decisions comply with the Council’s Constitution and governance arrangements.
• Coordinate with clients and external advisers, procuring and managing external counsel when needed.

Skills

Land & property law

Commercial conveyancing

Legal advice

Contract drafting

Case management system

Education

Solicitor or Barrister qualification

Tools

Case management system

Job description

Directorate:

Legal Services

Property Solicitor Team

Ref: 001738

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £57,427 - £60,840 per annum (SM3)

Hours: 36.66 per week

Location: Hybrid/Oldham Council Offices, Spindles Shopping Centre

Closing Date: Sunday 18 October 2026

Interview Date: TBC.

Role Overview:

To provide relevant legal advice and legal services in relation to land and property matters affecting the Council and to undertake land and property transactions on behalf of the Council from inception to completion.

Key Responsibilities:

• Delivering comprehensive. Timely legal advice and legal work in particular in the areas of land and property law and advice in relation to trusts, company law and charity law in the context of property matters.
• Undertaking legal research, the preparation of advice to officers and members, the drafting of property related legal documents including but not limited to contracts, transfers, leases, licences charges and the drafting and presentation of reports and other documentation as required and including developing the use of the case management system.
• Undertaking legal work of a specialist and/or complex nature, including research, the preparation of advice to Council Officers and Elected Members, the drafting and settling of legal documentation and the drafting and presentation of reports and other documentation, without supervision.
• Ensuring that the decision making in relation to the Council’s land and property is lawful and in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and Council’s governance arrangements.
• Working with client officers to ensure that they are appropriately advised and supported and are able to provide informed instructions to the Council’s external advisers (where engaged) as required. Advising on the need for specialist external advice, where necessary assisting on procuring, instructing and managing external legal advisers where these are engaged.

Key Requirements:

• Qualified solicitor or barrister
• Post-qualification experience in land/property law/commercial conveyancing
• Knowledge of the law relating to land and property and able to give advice in relation to company law and charity law in the context of property matters.

About Us:

We want Oldham to have vibrant, safe neighbourhoods where people are proud to live with opportunities for healthier, more fulfilled lives; and a sustainable, thriving economy. As we look to the future, the challenges may be significant, but so are the opportunities. We’ve identified three missions with our residents and partners, focusing on what will deliver the biggest impact:

A Great Place to Live, Healthier, Happier Lives, and Green and Growing.

We’re looking for candidates who will support us to achieve our ambitions and we encourage you to download our Corporate Plan: Ready for the Future and Oldham Plan for further information

Our Values and Behaviours:

By driving innovation, investing in our people, and championing our communities, we will ensure that Oldham continues to be a place where everyone can live their best life. To support this, we have three core values which define who we are and how we operate. These are ‘Proud, Ambitious, and Together’, and they shape our culture, inform our decisions, and inspire us to deliver on our commitments to the people of Oldham.

We have translated these values into five behaviours which guide our actions and are the standards we hold ourselves to, day in and day out:

• Work with a resident focus
• Support local leaders
• Committed to the borough
• Delivery high performance
• Take ownership and drive change

You can find out more about our values and behaviours on our greater.jobs Oldham page

Our Benefits Package:

At Oldham Council we offer a great benefits package for our employees, which includes the following:

• 25 days annual leave which increases after 5 and 10-years’ service
• The option to purchase additional annual leave.
• An attractive LGPS benefit pension scheme with the option to make shared cost additional voluntary contributions.
• Discounted gym membership with Oldham Active.
• Staff discount scheme for shopping, entertainment, eating-out, eating-in, travel, motoring and more.
• Salary sacrifice scheme for home and electronics and Cycle to Work.
• Wellbeing support, including a Mental Health First Aider network and an Employment Assistance Programme that provides 24 hours access to advice and support.
• Staff recognition and celebration events.
• Peer support groups

Inclusive Recruitment:

We work closely with employees to help them work at their best, including making adjustments such as flexible working, describing available working patterns, providing equipment or making changes to the workplace.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and therefore expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you have lived or worked abroad for 3 months or more in the last 5 years or 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years whilst aged 18 or over, please refer to the link below for details for how to obtain your Certificates of Good Character. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

If you’re an applicant with disabilities and have previously been in or currently in care, someone who has served in the Armed Forces, or you’ve participated in the GM Elevate Programme, and you meet the essential criteria of the role, you are guaranteed to reach the first stage of assessment under our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme.

Data and Privacy:

For details of how we use your data please see our Privacy Notice

Important Information:

Please note that should a vacancy that has been released for internal or external recruitment be deemed suitable for a current employee at risk of redundancy, it can be pulled back at any point, up to the post being formally offered to a candidate who is not at risk of redundancy.

Right to Work in the UK from 1st July 2021.doc

Supporting Documents

Job Description & Person Specification
Right To Work